[Elecraft] Bad fist

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/6/05 12:54:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
rondec at easystreet.com writes:


> I've noticed that happens more often these days as ops get on the air after
> learning Farnsworth code. It's wonderful that they are able to learn CW more
> easily and enjoy it more quickly, but several ops I've known who learned
> Farnsworth had to stop and learn to copy all over again once they got on the
> air. The problem is that in normal operation most ops on the air don't leave
> the exaggerated spaces between letters that the Farnsworth system allows
> when you set the Farnsworth speed well above the actual sending speed.
> They've been studying Farnsworth CW at 20 WPM and when they got their
> receiving speed up to, say, 10 wpm, they try to get on the air. Suddenly
> "real CW" at even 10 or 15 wpm sounds like a run-together jumble to them
> until they learn to follow the proper spacing and rhythm of CW. 

Quite possible, but there's another, more pervasive problem, I think.

In the bad old days many if not most of us spent a considerable amount of 
time listening to the ham bands before we ever got a license, transmitter, or 
went on the air for the first time. We knew what good sending and bad sending 
sounded like, how the bands behaved, how to fight QRM and QRN, etc., from using 
our receivers to learn the code from actual received signals. We also learned 
the typical form of a QSO and many other incidentals like prosigns by listening 
to other ham QSOs.

But it seems that today a number of newer hams learn the code from computers, 
tapes or trainers and have almost no on-air experience with Morse before they 
get on the air and try to use the mode. And since there's no sending test, 
they have to learn to send on their own. Often they are trying to do all this 
live, on-the-air, rather than one step at a time. 

I think the predominance of transceivers today has a lot to do with this. In 
the old days a prospective ham would start off with a receiver, and spend lots 
of time listening, putting up an antenna, etc. When the license was earned, 
you'd buy or build a transmitter and go on the air. The delay between passing 
the exam and getting the actual license was so long (6 to 8 weeks) that it was 
possible to buy or build a transmitter in the interim.

Today many hams get the license first, then get a transceiver. Kinda hard to 
sell the idea of spending all that money for rig that is half-useless without 
the license.


> 
> To me sending that way is like playing music off key, but if I run into one
> of those ops, I'll stretch out my spacing so they can copy. 


That's how I QRS with the bug, which bottoms out around 15 wpm. Most slower 
ops find it easier to copy.

--

On the issue of how to get started: Use a straight key first. Get a good one, 
learn the proper adjustment, posture, etc., and then use only the straight 
key until you get good at it. 

I went from straight key (J-37) to bug (Vibroplex Original, 1974 vintage, 
Standard model). The straight key experience was invaluable.

--

Elecraft connection: Just had a wild idea:

One of the best beginner rigs was the Heath HW-16. It was a CW-only 
transmitter-receiver (not really a transceiver) all in one box that covered the Novice 
bands only. Ran the Novice legal limit, was simple to build and simple to 
operate, but had decent performance for its time and the cost was rock-bottom. No 
AGC, no S meter, no bells or whistles, but it had a sharp filter in the 
receiver, a decent dial for the time, and QSK. 

What if Elecraft made a successor to that famous rig? Say a CW-only 
transceiver that was dead-simple to build and operate, but would run 50-100 watts? 
Minimal controls and displays, maximum value.

What if the basic unit were only a receiver, and you would add the 
transmitter section later?

The K2 is a great rig but it's very complex and the basic one is over $500. 
The K1 doesn't get out of the QRP class.  

What if....

73 de Jim, N2EY